<p>The ongoing campaign to attract more women into the airline and aerospace industries has been bolstered with another two developments in programmes from industry associations.</p>
<p>In the UK, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) launched its Baby on Board campaign earlier this year to help make the profession of being an airline pilot more family friendly. The association has just announced that Jet2.com has now signed up to the campaign and is urging other airlines to follow Jet2’s example by implementing enhancements to maternity pay and provisions for parents.</p>
<p><img alt="Gender equality programmes" src="/getasset/35225e38-f07b-4b97-9123-644ce5271f8f/" /></p>
<p>BALPA has pointed out that Jet2’s new maternity pay includes enhanced maternity and adoption pay for a primary adopter with varying rates (inclusive of statutory pay) according to the length of service. Additionally, eligible employees with 3 years of continuous service with the company will now also receive two weeks’ full basic salary whilst on paternity leave (inclusive of statutory pay).</p>
<p>Jet2’s policy has been hailed by BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton. “We recognised that low maternity pay is a serious problem which can put women off being a pilot,” he explains. “That’s why we launched Baby on Board, to highlight the issue and push for real changes that mean that parents don’t have to choose between their family and their profession.</p>
<p>“While we still want to see airlines go even further (and give pilots full pay for the first 26 weeks of their maternity leave and half pay for the remainder of their statutory maternity leave), it is great that Jet2 has recognised the issue and made changes,” Strutton adds.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently established the 25by2025 Campaign, which involves commitments by participating airlines to: increase the number of women in senior positions (to be defined by the member airlines) by either 25% against currently reported metrics or to minimum representation of 25% by 2025; increase the number of women in under-represented jobs (for example, pilots and operations) again by either 25% against currently reported metrics or to a minimum representation of 25% by 2025; report annually on key diversity metrics.</p>
<p>The newest carrier to become part of 25by2025 is Hahn Air. With 39% of its leadership positions occupied by women, the German airline and distribution specialist is already well ahead of that desired 25% gender ratio.</p>
<p>The carrier had a signing ceremony at IATA’s Wings of Change conference in Berlin. Appropriately Hahn Air’s general director, Kirsten Rehmann, was there to put pen to paper and add the company to other key industry players (pictured above).</p>
<p>“For Hahn Air, gender equality has always been part of our corporate ethos and I am immensely pleased to champion this initiative that recognises the need for a change,” Rehmann remarked. “I believe that this campaign is a big step in the right direction and will play an important role in driving gender equality forward within the industry. I strongly believe that we need diversity in every sense of the word, and not limited to gender, to create the best work culture and ultimately make the best decisions and achieve the best results.”</p>
<p>When launching 20by2025, IATA noted that “there is currently no comprehensive airline industry-wide gender diversity statistical report”. At present, the number of women pilots is only about 5% of the total pilot pool. For women CEOs, the figure is even worse at around 3%.</p>
<p>Programmes such as these, particularly from big industry players, are of course much needed in order to enhance gender diversity, However, the corollary to them must be recognised too – that the industry will benefit from accessing a huge talent pool upon which its focus was not directed for too long.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the UK, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) launched its Baby on Board campaign earlier this year to help make the profession of being an airline pilot more family friendly. The association has just announced that Jet2.com has now signed up to the campaign and is urging other airlines to follow Jet2’s example by implementing enhancements to maternity pay and provisions for parents.</p>
<p><img alt="Gender equality programmes" src="/getasset/35225e38-f07b-4b97-9123-644ce5271f8f/" /></p>
<p>BALPA has pointed out that Jet2’s new maternity pay includes enhanced maternity and adoption pay for a primary adopter with varying rates (inclusive of statutory pay) according to the length of service. Additionally, eligible employees with 3 years of continuous service with the company will now also receive two weeks’ full basic salary whilst on paternity leave (inclusive of statutory pay).</p>
<p>Jet2’s policy has been hailed by BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton. “We recognised that low maternity pay is a serious problem which can put women off being a pilot,” he explains. “That’s why we launched Baby on Board, to highlight the issue and push for real changes that mean that parents don’t have to choose between their family and their profession.</p>
<p>“While we still want to see airlines go even further (and give pilots full pay for the first 26 weeks of their maternity leave and half pay for the remainder of their statutory maternity leave), it is great that Jet2 has recognised the issue and made changes,” Strutton adds.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently established the 25by2025 Campaign, which involves commitments by participating airlines to: increase the number of women in senior positions (to be defined by the member airlines) by either 25% against currently reported metrics or to minimum representation of 25% by 2025; increase the number of women in under-represented jobs (for example, pilots and operations) again by either 25% against currently reported metrics or to a minimum representation of 25% by 2025; report annually on key diversity metrics.</p>
<p>The newest carrier to become part of 25by2025 is Hahn Air. With 39% of its leadership positions occupied by women, the German airline and distribution specialist is already well ahead of that desired 25% gender ratio.</p>
<p>The carrier had a signing ceremony at IATA’s Wings of Change conference in Berlin. Appropriately Hahn Air’s general director, Kirsten Rehmann, was there to put pen to paper and add the company to other key industry players (pictured above).</p>
<p>“For Hahn Air, gender equality has always been part of our corporate ethos and I am immensely pleased to champion this initiative that recognises the need for a change,” Rehmann remarked. “I believe that this campaign is a big step in the right direction and will play an important role in driving gender equality forward within the industry. I strongly believe that we need diversity in every sense of the word, and not limited to gender, to create the best work culture and ultimately make the best decisions and achieve the best results.”</p>
<p>When launching 20by2025, IATA noted that “there is currently no comprehensive airline industry-wide gender diversity statistical report”. At present, the number of women pilots is only about 5% of the total pilot pool. For women CEOs, the figure is even worse at around 3%.</p>
<p>Programmes such as these, particularly from big industry players, are of course much needed in order to enhance gender diversity, However, the corollary to them must be recognised too – that the industry will benefit from accessing a huge talent pool upon which its focus was not directed for too long.</p>
<p> </p>